Letter to the Editor: Make E-Verify mandatory

E-Verify is an internet-based, voluntary, and free program run by the federal government that compares information from an employee's identification documents to data from U.S. government records. If the information matches, that employee is eligible to work in the United States. Making E-Verify mandatory in New Jersey will ensure that N.J. businesses are hiring legal residents. The U.S. unemployment rate has surpassed or hovered around 8 percent for the longest streak since the 1930s. New Jersey has an unemployment rate of 9.6% is higher than the national average. If our elected bipartisan legislators truly care about the economic condition of New Jersey, the unemployment rate and jobs in New Jersey they would make E-Verify mandatory in this state by passing bill #S164. This bill prohibits the employment of unauthorized aliens and requires employers to use the E-Verify program.

For 17 years E-Verify has been available in the United States as a voluntary program. If such a program becomes mandatory in New Jersey many employers who currently employ illegal workers will be forced to terminate them and replace them with legal workers. The number of legal workers on the unemployment rolls would decrease and the pride in employment would lift the morale of workers in New Jersey. The State of New Jersey would be able to save money when workers move from unemployment rolls to paying jobs. The reduction in un-employment benefits and the reductions in other peripheral benefits would save millions. The taxes paid to the state would also be in the millions when a legal person works and pays taxes. The worker would also be an asset to local business with the ability to purchase goods and services. It is easy to see the value of a program like E-Verify for New Jersey workers and the overall economy of the state.

The benefits of E-Verify outweigh the disadvantages of the program. This is an issue that should be bipartisan and would benefit all in New Jersey. I encourage readers to call their legislators and demand they co-sponsor New Jersey Senate bill #S164 by NJ State Senator Robert Singer of Ocean County.